Scan barcode
theeclecticreview's review
4.0
It's that time of year for holiday romance and I couldn't wait to pick up another book by Isabel Jolie. Not to mention that Nora is from my home state of Iowa.
A charming second-chance romance about hooking up on the holiday, being ghosted, and meeting each other again eight years later.
Nora is used to being alone. Growing up in foster care she learned to only rely on herself and not others. She's cautious about who she shares her life with. So when the man who never called her back eight years ago shows up in her life again, she tries to blow him off and push him away. She doesn't need to get her hopes again. She's used to spending Christmas alone and knows everyone has other plans that don't involve her. But Dr. Ashton Daughtridge knows he needs to prove to Nora that he wants to spend time with her. He feels guilty for not calling her back so many years ago and he never forgot her. He just wasn't ready for a relationship what with his crazy hours as a resident in medical school. However, this time, he's going to take it slow and win her over. It's a bit tougher than he thought.
Nora's past broke my heart. Being a lifer in foster care didn't make it easy for her to trust. Her sadness is palpable as she turns down many invites to celebrate Christmas with friends. She just doesn't want to have a reminder that she has no family. Nora's kindness and generosity are notable as she volunteers at the food bank to those who are more unfortunate. Her friendship and support for one of the mothers who is recovering from addiction to get custody of her little girl are genuine as Nora knows what it is like firsthand. Ashton is handsome and charming and is deservedly led on a merry chase trying to even get Nora to talk to him again. I love that he makes a point to not leave her alone on Christmas. He was a bit stalkerish, but he meant well.
If you love Christmas romances and believe in second chances, please give this delightful book a try.
Thank you to Ms. Jolie for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
A charming second-chance romance about hooking up on the holiday, being ghosted, and meeting each other again eight years later.
Nora is used to being alone. Growing up in foster care she learned to only rely on herself and not others. She's cautious about who she shares her life with. So when the man who never called her back eight years ago shows up in her life again, she tries to blow him off and push him away. She doesn't need to get her hopes again. She's used to spending Christmas alone and knows everyone has other plans that don't involve her. But Dr. Ashton Daughtridge knows he needs to prove to Nora that he wants to spend time with her. He feels guilty for not calling her back so many years ago and he never forgot her. He just wasn't ready for a relationship what with his crazy hours as a resident in medical school. However, this time, he's going to take it slow and win her over. It's a bit tougher than he thought.
Nora's past broke my heart. Being a lifer in foster care didn't make it easy for her to trust. Her sadness is palpable as she turns down many invites to celebrate Christmas with friends. She just doesn't want to have a reminder that she has no family. Nora's kindness and generosity are notable as she volunteers at the food bank to those who are more unfortunate. Her friendship and support for one of the mothers who is recovering from addiction to get custody of her little girl are genuine as Nora knows what it is like firsthand. Ashton is handsome and charming and is deservedly led on a merry chase trying to even get Nora to talk to him again. I love that he makes a point to not leave her alone on Christmas. He was a bit stalkerish, but he meant well.
If you love Christmas romances and believe in second chances, please give this delightful book a try.
Thank you to Ms. Jolie for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
kaydanielsromance's review
5.0
Reading this book was like watching an adorable holiday movie, full of charm with all the holiday mistletoe moments.
Nora and Ashton's story moved back and forth between past and present from the first time they met at a holiday party to the present when they reconnect.
While their meet-cute is a sort of a drunken hookup where they first kissed under the mistletoe, there was a connection that neither one of them could deny. However, Nora was fresh in New York City and just beginning her job. She really didn't have time to commit to a long term relationship, but neither did Ashton. He was attending med school and in deep in his surgical residency, but he didn't exactly end their brief time together in the best way and now it's eight years later and Nora is once again standing under the mistletoe.
Nora is steadfast in trying to keep Ashton in her past. She doesn't want to repeat the mistakes she's made before by letting Ashton in, but he's relentless in his pursuit of her this time around. Knocking down her walls and forcing his way past of every obstacle she throws up. This time he's ready for a relationship and he doesn't want to lose her again, not for another eight years.
A great novella just in time for the holiday season.
Nora and Ashton's story moved back and forth between past and present from the first time they met at a holiday party to the present when they reconnect.
While their meet-cute is a sort of a drunken hookup where they first kissed under the mistletoe, there was a connection that neither one of them could deny. However, Nora was fresh in New York City and just beginning her job. She really didn't have time to commit to a long term relationship, but neither did Ashton. He was attending med school and in deep in his surgical residency, but he didn't exactly end their brief time together in the best way and now it's eight years later and Nora is once again standing under the mistletoe.
Nora is steadfast in trying to keep Ashton in her past. She doesn't want to repeat the mistakes she's made before by letting Ashton in, but he's relentless in his pursuit of her this time around. Knocking down her walls and forcing his way past of every obstacle she throws up. This time he's ready for a relationship and he doesn't want to lose her again, not for another eight years.
A great novella just in time for the holiday season.
julianag9's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
artbookshelf's review
4.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
A quick and cute Christmas read was just what I needed after decorating my house for Christmas
A quick and cute Christmas read was just what I needed after decorating my house for Christmas
bookdragonheart's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars! This was a sweet, sexy holiday second chance novella. Nora and Ashton first hook up at her company’s holiday party. What starts with a kiss under the mistletoe takes them away from the party and into her apartment. While not technically a one night thing, they do get back together another time after that holiday party encounter, Ashton essentially ghosts her. And after she found out he was her new boss’ brother, and she wasn’t wanting to get a bad reputation at her new job, it still crushed her to be ghosted by the first guy she decided to hook up with since coming to New York.
Flash forward 8 years, and Nora finds herself, once again, face to face with Ashton at her company’s holiday party. Only this time, despite how sexy and attractive she still finds him, she’s pissed, and not at all interested in giving him a second chance. Too bad nobody told her body that. And Ashton is determined to get the sexy redhead that he never forgot back into his good graces. The story is told in an alternating current day/flash back format for about two thirds of the book. This is actually really effective for this story, as it gives us peeks back to that first set of experiences and slowly provides peeks into where Nora’s head is at now as she navigates the current situation with Ashton. They were both much younger, and he definitely made his share of mistakes, so it’s good to see him own up to that and work to make up for it. It gets emotional as Nora decides to slowly open herself up to possibility, terrified of having her heart broken again. But they do have great chemistry, and if anything that spurs them along.
The holidays are a nice backdrop for their story, but really not consequential to a lot. Neither of them is particularly crazy about Christmas, which is actually something they have in common. The story unfolds naturally and realistically, and was a good, sexy, fun, emotional holiday romance.
Flash forward 8 years, and Nora finds herself, once again, face to face with Ashton at her company’s holiday party. Only this time, despite how sexy and attractive she still finds him, she’s pissed, and not at all interested in giving him a second chance. Too bad nobody told her body that. And Ashton is determined to get the sexy redhead that he never forgot back into his good graces. The story is told in an alternating current day/flash back format for about two thirds of the book. This is actually really effective for this story, as it gives us peeks back to that first set of experiences and slowly provides peeks into where Nora’s head is at now as she navigates the current situation with Ashton. They were both much younger, and he definitely made his share of mistakes, so it’s good to see him own up to that and work to make up for it. It gets emotional as Nora decides to slowly open herself up to possibility, terrified of having her heart broken again. But they do have great chemistry, and if anything that spurs them along.
The holidays are a nice backdrop for their story, but really not consequential to a lot. Neither of them is particularly crazy about Christmas, which is actually something they have in common. The story unfolds naturally and realistically, and was a good, sexy, fun, emotional holiday romance.
ljade's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great short holiday read!
I sometimes have trouble reading books where they jump between past & present because I get taken out every time a jump occurs but it was done really well here!
Nora was such a sweet yet strong character and I loved getting more into her backstory. Ashton was very swoony!
I sometimes have trouble reading books where they jump between past & present because I get taken out every time a jump occurs but it was done really well here!
Nora was such a sweet yet strong character and I loved getting more into her backstory. Ashton was very swoony!
nicoleleilani's review against another edition
2.0
I DNF'd this. I couldn't get into it or the writing style